AT least four foreign lorries a day caught by police and vehicle enforcement officers on the A55 are overloaded, faulty or driven by over-tired truckers, a Daily Post investigation reveals.

Figures obtained by this newspaper paint a shocking picture of a blatant flouting of the rules by reckless overseas drivers.

In just 12 months, almost 2,000 foreign-registered lorries and drivers were taken off the road along its 80-mile stretch through North Wales and prosecuted for breaking the law.

The statistics were obtained by Liberal Democrat Lord Roger Roberts of Llandudno, and exclusively released to the Daily Post.

Lord Roberts probed the danger posed by foreign truckers following a spate of incidents on roads like the A55.

He called the situation a “disaster waiting to happen.”

Lord Roberts said: “The figures were far more than anybody envisaged. These are statistics from the lorries stopped.

“There are many more which aren’t. Many of these drivers are from countries such as Lithuania and can’t read English. Many of them are over-tired and use wing-mirrors which haven’t been adjusted on a road which stretches from Ewloe to Holyhead.”

He warned that the situation could get even worse now that the transportation of aluminium ingots from Anglesey Aluminium to a plant in Austria has been switched from rail to road because it’s cheaper.

Lord Roberts asked the Government how many overseas lorries were detected on the A55 in North Wales by the police and Vehicle Operator Services Agency to be overloaded and/or in an unsatisfactory mechanical condition.

There were very few prosecutions for these offences because it isn’t possible either for Vosa or the police to require non-UK residents to return here to attend court for minor offences.

A Vosa spokesman said: “The introduction of graduated fixed penalties and deposits will, however, ensure that they do pay the relevant penalty.”

Police have the power to arrest offenders committing more serious offences.

North Wales Police confirmed that between January and December 2007 officers detected 156 foreign-registered lorries being driven on the A55 in contravention of drivers’ hours regulations.

Records showing individual penalties aren’t available but all the vehicles received prohibitions meaning they were removed from the roads.

In addition, three foreign drivers received prison sentences for dangerous driving related to “gross breaches” of the drivers’ hours regulations.

Lord Roberts added: “This is a disaster waiting to happen. The revelations of the Westminster Government regarding the lorries travelling along the North Wales section of the A55 makes very disturbing reading.

“Already, drivers have been imprisoned because they or their vehicles were a threat to life along that major road. The total breach of regulations involved is not far from 2,000, far more than anyone envisaged.”

“The recent decision to transfer the aluminium ingot contract from Anglesey from rail to road is foolhardy, dangerous and increases our concern.”

Lord Roberts is now pressing the Westminster and Assembly governments to take action.

He added: “I am surprised that the two members for Anglesey – Labour for Westminster and Plaid Cymru for Cardiff Bay – have not already initiated some action, especially as Ieuan Wyn Jones is the minister in charge of transport in Wales.”